The Golden Age of Radio

by Marissa L. Friedman, Artistic Resident

The Golden Age of Radio in the United States refers to the period from the early 1920s until its usurpation by the television in the 1950s. Pre-1920s entertainment in America consisted primarily of the written word and live theater, though some had phonographs, thanks to Thomas Edison’s ingenuity. Radio was a convenient medium for the average family, as they were now able to enjoy entertainment in the privacy and comfort of their own homes. There was an explosion of programming between the 1920s and 1950s with the advent of the radio. Radio consisted of broadcasts of music, news, live comedy and drama. The precedent for live radio broadcasting was the Théâtrophone in Paris, which allowed subscribers to listen in to live stage performances, as well as news reports, via a network of telephone lines.  This ran from 1890 until 1932; radio’s development eradicated the need for wires as well as subscription charges while preserving the concept. 

Radio was well-established by the 1940s, and this decade, considered the last big hurrah for radio’s Golden Age, was also referred to at The War Years in radio programming. Europe was already entrenched in another World War, and the Unites States was being dragged into it. Radio programming was used to bolster support for troops, having special programs for soldiers including Music for Millions, Treasure Star Parade, and Millions for Defense, as well as selling bonds or collecting scrap metal. Radio was used as a vehicle to rally the nation behind the war effort and to support the troops; it also brought the war and other world events directly into the homes of Americans. This was a time of increased censorship by the government on the airwaves, as there was a growing fear of internal spies garnering information from the programming. Government propaganda was also prominently aired at this time. Children’s broadcast programs also reflected this focus on the war effort. Heroes such as Superman, The Green Hornet and Dick Tracy encouraged them to conserve electricity and water, and were featured in stories about spies, rebels and other war-time villains. 

The early 1940s saw a boom in radio-listenership and a new generation of stars in radio programming, including Bob Hope, Abbott and Costello, Red Skelton, Jack Benny and Edgar Bergen. Situation comedies became popular with the post-war migration to the suburbs. It was at this time that radio began to be threatened by the television. Though television technology existed prior to World War II, the war effort delayed its launch and therefore kept radio alive as the primary mode of entertainment for the American family.  Radio suffered in the mid-1940s with a lull in listenership after the excitement of the war, as well as from the popularity of the television. The only glimmer of hope for radio at this time was to find local talents and broadcast with a localized interest. 

Important People to the Advent of Radio:
- Guglielmo Marconi
- James Clerk Maxwell
- Nathan B. Stubblefield
- Nikola Tesla
- Thomas Edison
- Lee De Forest
- David Sarnoff

Important Early Radio Personalities:
- Dr. Frank Conrad
- Harold W. Arlin
- Vaughn de Leath
- Earle M. Terry
- Professor W.H. Lighty